Proof yeast. Add shortening, sugar, salt and 3 cups of the flour.Beat with dough whisk or heavy spoon for 2 minutes. Fold egg whitesinto yeast mixture. Gradually add flour 1/4 cup at a time, untildough forms a mass and begins to pull away from bowl. Turn ontoa floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, for 8-10minutes, until smooth and elastic with bubbles. Place in oiledbowl, turn to coat, and cover with damp towel. Let rise untildouble, about 1 hour. Punch down, cover and let rise again untildouble (about 45 minutes.) Punch down and turn out onto lightlyoiled surface.

For Kaiser or Weck: Divide dough into 18 pieces. Use rolling pinto flatten each piece into a 7 inch circle. Fold left side tocenter to form a flap. Halfway down flap fold again to center toform another flap. Repeat all the way around to make overlappingflaps. Lift the first flap to ease the last flap underneath.Press center to seal the dough. Place rolls upside down on awell-greased baking sheet, 3 inches apart. Let rise 30 minutes,turn right side up, let rise 15 more minutes.

For Brotchen: Divide dough into 24 pieces. Shape each into anoval about 3 1/2 inches long. Place on well greased baking sheet.If your oven will not fit all at once, prepare half at a time,keeping rest covered for 15 minutes. Flatten tops slightly. Coverand let rise 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425. Put a shallow pan on the bottom shelf ofoven. Lightly brush the rolls with egg wash. Sprinkle with seedsor coarse salt if desired. Place 1 cup of ice cubes in the heatedpan in oven. Immediately put the rolls in and bake 15 to 20 minutesuntil golden brown (internal temp will read 190). Remove and coolon racks.

NOTES : Kaiser and Brotchen are made from the same dough, but shapeddifferently. Kaiser has the 5 sided pinwheel design, Brotchen aresmaller and oval shaped. In Buffalo, NY Kaiser rolls are glazedand sprinkled with salt and caraway seeds, called Weck Rolls.